Ever since my friends learned that I'm interested in tiki mugs and such, they've been calling me from flea markets to tell me about over-sized wooden forks and spoons with tiki gods carved on the handles.

While I appreciate their efforts, so far I've seen none that I am interested in; in fact, I just don't get the idea.

What is the origin of these things? Do they have any roots in any Polynesian culture? Are they a sculpted prayer to the gods that we always have food? Did people in the 1950's have REALLY big salads to toss? Do ancient astronauts want us to grow large with food? Was this an less-successful marketing attempt that found fruition in collectors' plates? Or was the mid-20th century tiki craze so prosperous for manufacturers that they came up with something food-prep related for people to hang on kitchen walls?

I know what you mean. Those seem to be the most common thing you can find. They were probably carved at a rate of 2 utensils per minute because the tiki images are often so obscure that it is more like playing a Where's Waldo? game as you look for the tikis. The only good use I've ever seen is the TC member who sawed off the bowl and tines and just used the handles to make door pulls for his tiki building. Too bad they didn't carve 3 foot tikis instead of the dumb fork & spoon. Maybe they needed to show that the islands were a major lumber exporter or something?

i just inherited an african version of tiki fork and spoon from my grandfather. i'm not quite sure what to do with it - they are very intersting objects in ebony or ebonized wood - almost stone-like in texture and feel (about 14 inches long) but they probably won't fit in with the tiki bar once it's built.

i wonder if the african versions followed the u.s. 70's trend or whether they had an indigenous origin.

The two explanations that I received from two different Filipino/Chinese families were:

1) The symbolism means having good health and a prosperous family. The oversizing enhances that symbolism. The spoon and fork were symbols of good health since "food" would be the source for a healthy body (insert hamburger & fries jokes here). They also joked saying that Americans who display their "miniature spoon" collection would bring inauspicious fortune (from the small size of the spoons).

2) The symbolism means family strength since the time that the family is actually gathered together is at meal time. Again, the oversizing is to emphasize that strength for all that visit the home to see.

In addition, I was told that it didn't matter if the size of your family was 1 or 10 (in the home), the symbolism of "family" was anyone who joined you in your dining area. Also, the spoon and fork was to be displayed near the dining table, traditionally the gathering place of the family.

Wow SCD, this seems like the first reasonable explanation of this irksome phenomenon.

I have seen giant forks and spoons with more pacific asian figures on them, so those must have been made traditionally, for home use there, and since so many Phillipine carvers made tourist Tikis for Hawaii, they must have had the idea to apply them to their traditional implements and sell them as a novelty item, and it became a big hit. Talk about multi-culturalism!
I wonder what "Tourist mythology" some sellers came up with, though.

Here I have to take exception. I'm sorry, but I won't stand idly by while people disparage this thrift store Tiki collector staple. Along with a Tiki Leilani, a Disney frosted glass goblet, and an ill-fitting old aloha shirt, the oversize Tiki spoon and fork is a foundation piece for a dyed-in-the-wool, real-world Tiki collector. OK, so there is much better stuff out there; NO Tiki collection is complete without a set. It's like a rite of passage. Every dedicated collector MUST own at least one set. If you have to, make it your mission to find the best set you can. Amy and I have at least three pair. OK, there. I admitted it. Believe it or not, there are finely crafted sets out there; and even more unbelievable, they have become more scarce in recent years. It used to be that you would be hard pressed to find a thrift WITHOUT a pair– and they could not give them away. Now when they do have them, they are asking as much as $5 for them! I know somebody who used to cut them up for their Tiki "projects" (door pulls, etc.) and I used to wince. I don't think one should ever take vintage Tiki for granted. Just like the Herb Albert LP "Whipped Cream and Other Delights". We can all have a chuckle at them, but what happens when the day comes and they are no longer there? Dare I say, we will have lost a small part of our soul.

Well said! If you can find a decent set of these, they make a nice, cheap addition to your bar, and they can take up the space that will someday feature that elusive Witco piece or the Oceanic Arts 6' Lono you plan to buy when your rich uncle dies. I have 3 sets myself, along with a lonely mismatched spoon that I hope to convert into a giant tiki "Spork" someday, just for laughs. I've seen these in commercial tiki bars and home bars alike. Portland's Jasmine Tree has 2 sets that I've notice, and Alibi has a set as well. Don't dis the GS&F - they are the mayo of the tiki world.

Years ago at a vintage store someone was trying to sell a knife version of the giant tiki spoon and fork combo carrying on how rare it was to find a complete cutlery set. I refused but hope the regret won't follow me to the grave. With the whole set you could invite one of those giant Moai people over for dinner.

I have three pair as well, and I like them. Although I can't explain why. My nicest and largest were found in a thrift shop in Alturas, CA if you can believe that. Bet you can't even find that on a map.

You should see mrsmiley's: He has a pair that are at least six feet long!